Interlocking panels

ABSTRACT

Interlocking panels include a frame configured as a perimeter of a panel, the frame including at least one engageable frame portion. The panel defines at least one side opening disposed adjacent the engageable frame portion(s) so that one panel may be attached to another panel by at least one connection means passing through the side opening(s) to capture the engageable frame portion(s).

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present invention is closely related to the copending patentapplication entitled “Self Contained Gardening Unit” which is beingfiled concurrently with the present application. The teachings of thatapplication are herein incorporated by reference thereto.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to interlocking panels and, moreparticularly, it relates to interlocking web panels.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A search of the patent art for interlocking panels revealed a number offloor panels having interlocking features. Some of these hadmodifications of the familiar tongue and groove feature of hardwoodfloor boards. U.S. Pat. No. 6,862,857, U.S. Pat. No. 8,880,307, and U.S.Pat No. 6,804,926 all employed modified tongue and groove arrangementsto attach adjacent panels to each other along their edges.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,174,116 teaches panels that can be oriented verticallyto make fence-like structures. The panels can be interlockedorthogonally. They have slots cut half way across their width, the widthof the slots being equal to the thickness of the panels. Panels orientedin one direction with the slots upward can receive panels orientedperpendicularly with their slots downward to define rectangular areas.These may be employed in the bed of a truck to provide fenced areas forcargo.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,061,987 teaches sheet panels for easy to assemblestructures. One edge of the panels is bent at 90 degrees relatively tothe panel. An opposite edge is hemmed to receive the bent edge ofanother panel.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,769,217 teaches floor panels which may be interconnectedby clips which join adjacent panel edges and hold the panels at the sameelevation.

Introduction to the Invention

The present invention is an interconnectable panel, preferably includinga central web portion. The panels have interconnection features so theycan be connected to each other along their edges. They are intended tobe used with the versatility of the containers commonly known as “milkcrates”. They may be used to protect flowers from animals. They also maybe employed by children as construction toys. Another application is forroom decoration and remodeling. Preferably, they can be joined either byan in plane connection, or by an orthogonal connection which joinspanels at 90 degrees relatively to each other.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the present invention is a panel including a frameconfigured as a perimeter of the panel, the frame including at least oneengageable frame portion. The panel defines at least one side openingdisposed adjacent the engageable frame portion(s) so that one panel maybe attached to another panel by at least one connection means passingthrough the side opening(s) to capture the engageable frame portion(s).

In another aspect, the present invention is a connectable pair ofpanels, the connectable pair of panels including a first panel includinga frame configured as a perimeter of the first panel, the frameincluding at least one engageable frame portion. There are one or moreside openings in the first panel, the side openings disposed adjacentthe engageable frame portions of the first panel. The pair also includesa second panel and a connection means configured to pass through theopening in the first panel to capture the engageable frame portion ofthe first panel and hold the first panel firmly against the secondpanel.

In an additional aspect, the present invention is a panel including aframe configured as a perimeter of the first panel, the frame includingat least three engageable frame portions, the panel defining a sideopening disposed adjacent each of the engageable frame portions. A ridgeportion of the frame is disposed on a first side of the engageable frameportion and a groove portion of the frame is disposed on a second sideof the engageable frame portion so that a second panel identical to thefirst may be attached to the first panel, a groove portion of the frameof the second panel mating with one of the ridge portions of the frameof the first panel and a ridge portion of the frame of the second panelmating with one of the groove portions of the frame of the first panel;whereby the second panel may be tightly attached to the first panel by aconnection means passing through one of the side openings in the firstpanel and a similar side opening in the second panel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 presents an interlocking panel according to one aspect of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross section cut along section 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross section cut along section 3-3 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an alternative configuration for section 2-2 in FIG. 1 thatenables attachment of perpendicular panels.

FIG. 5 is another alternative cross section for section 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an alternative cross section for section 3-3 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is an illustration of two connected panels;

FIG. 8 is an alternative interlocking panel wherein any side of onepanel may be connected to any side of a like panel;

FIG. 9 is a strap for use with the alternative interlocking panelillustrated in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is an illustration of two alternative panels connected by thestrap illustrated in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is an interlocking panel to be used by campers to provide abarrier against small animals and crawling creatures; and

FIG. 12 is section 12-12 shown in FIG. 11.

NOMENCLATURE

-   10 Panel-   12 Frame of panel-   13 Web portion of panel-   14 Ridge portion of frame-   15 Engageable frame portion-   16 Groove portion of frame-   17 Side opening-   18 Web elements-   19 Web openings-   20 Connection means-   26 Snap portion on connection means-   28 Snap portion on frame-   32 Ridge portion with two ridges-   34 In plane ridge-   36 Perpendicular ridge-   38 Alternative ridge-   40 Alternative groove-   50 Panel with four openings-   52 Frame-   54 Ridge portion-   55 Engageable frame portion-   56 Groove portion-   57 Opening adjacent engageable frame portion-   60 Unattached connection means-   62 First snap portion-   64 Second snap portion-   70 Panel with stakes-   72 Stakes-   74 Solid sheet portion-   76 Deflector for crawling creatures

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED AND ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENTS OF THEINVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a panel according to one aspect of the presentinvention. Panel 10 includes a frame 12 configured as a perimeter ofpanel 10. Frame 12 includes at least one engageable frame portion 15.Panel 10 defines one or more side openings 17, each side opening 17adjacent an engageable frame portion 15.

Preferably, panel 10 also includes at least one connection means 20 forpassing through a side opening 17 of a second panel to capture anengageable frame portion 15 of frame 12 of the second panel. It ispreferred that connection means 20 includes a first snap portion 26, andthat a second snap portion 28 be attached to frame 12 of panel 10.

Preferably, frame 12 also includes a frame ridge portion 14 or a framegroove portion 16 for engagement with a frame groove portion 16 or frameridge portion 14 of a second panel.

Preferably, panel 10 includes a web portion 13 disposed within frame 12.Web portion 13 includes web elements 18 defining web openings 19therebetween.

It is preferred that ridge portion 14 of frame 12 have a cross section2-2 as shown in FIG. 2. Likewise groove portion 16, preferably, has across section 3-3 as shown in FIG. 3.

In an alternative embodiment, shown in FIG. 4, a ridge portion 32includes two ridges, 34 and 36, oriented at 90 degrees relatively toeach other. Thus, a second panel having a groove portion 16 mating withridge 36 is oriented at a 90 degree angle to the first panel.

FIG. 5 illustrates an alternative ridge portion 38, which is for matingwith the alternative groove portion 40 illustrated in FIG. 6.

FIG. 7 illustrates a pair of panels 10 connected together. Preferably,the connection means 20 on the left panel 10 has been passed trough sideopening 17 in the right panel 10. The first snap portion 26 is thenengaged to the second snap portion 28 on frame 12 of the leftmost panel.The ridge portion 14 of the rightmost panel cannot be seen in thisfigure because it is received into the groove portion 16 of the leftmostpanel.

FIG. 8 illustrates an alternative panel 50 having a frame 52 with anengageable frame portion 55 on each side thereof. Alternative panel 50defines a side opening 57 adjacent each engageable frame portion 55.Flanking each engageable frame portion 55 is a ridge portion 54 of frame52 and a groove portion 56 of frame 52. When two similar panels 50 arebrought together, as shown in FIG. 10, the ridge portion 54 of eachengages the groove portion 56 of the other.

FIG. 9 illustrates a connection means 60 which, preferably is a flexiblestrap having a first snap portion 64 at one end which is remote from asecond snap portion 62 at the other end thereof. Connection means 60 ispassed through side opening 57 of both of the panels 50 to capture bothof the engageable frame portions 55 and hold the two panels 50 tightlytogether, after first snap portion 64 is engaged to second snap portion62. FIG. 10 illustrates the two panels connected by connection means 60.

FIG. 11 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the invention that isintended for inexperienced campers who would like to try sleeping on theground, but are concerned about small animals and creatures that crawlon the ground. Panel 70 includes frame 12 including an engageable frameportion 15 adjacent a side opening 17. It also includes a connectionmeans 20 so a plurality of panels 70 can be disposed in a line to make alow fence. Preferably, corners in the fence are enabled by perpendicularridges 36 shown in FIG. 4, that engage groove portions 16 of frame 12.

Panel 70 includes stakes 72 for engagement with the earth. Panel 70further includes a solid sheet portion 74 having, at its upper edge, adeflector 76, which is for deflecting small crawling creatures. FIG. 12shows a section cut along 12-12 in FIG. 11, and illustrates thepreferred shape of deflector 76.

The presently preferred and alternative embodiments of the presentinvention having been described herein, it is to be understood that theinvention may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the appendedclaims.

1. A panel, herein referred to as a first panel, said panel comprising:a frame configured as a perimeter of said first panel, said framecomprising at least one engageable frame portion; said first paneldefining at least one side opening in said first panel, said at leastone side opening disposed adjacent said at least one engageable frameportion; and whereby said first panel may be attached to a second panelby at least one connection means passing through said at least one sideopening to capture said at least one engageable frame portion.
 2. Afirst panel according to claim 1 wherein said frame of said first panelincludes at least a ridge portion or a groove portion for mating with agroove portion or ridge portion, respectively, of a frame of said secondpanel.
 3. A first panel according to claim 1 wherein at least one ofsaid ridge portions of said first panel includes at least two ridgesoriented at 90 degrees relatively to each other for mating in either oftwo orthogonal orientations with a groove portion of said second panel.4. A panel according to claim 1 wherein said panel comprises a webportion disposed within said frame, said web portion comprisingintersecting web elements defining web openings therebetween.
 5. A panelaccording to claim 4 wherein said frame is rectangular.
 6. A panelaccording to claim 5 wherein said web elements run obliquely relativelyto said frame.
 7. A panel according to claim 5 wherein said frame issquare.
 8. A panel according to claim 4 further comprising stakes forengaging said panel with the ground whereby said panel stands upright,said panel further comprising a solid sheet portion for blockingcrawling creatures.
 9. A panel according to claim 8 further comprising adeflector for deflecting crawling creatures, said deflector disposedalong an upper edge of said solid sheet portion when said panel standsupright.
 10. A connectable pair of panels, said connectable pair ofpanels comprising: a first panel wherein said first panel includes: aframe configured as a perimeter of said first panel, said framecomprising at least one engageable frame portion; at least one sideopening in said first panel, said at least one side opening disposedadjacent said at least one engageable frame portion of said first panel;a second panel; and a connection means configured to pass through saidopening in said first panel to capture said engageable frame portion ofsaid first panel and hold said first panel firmly against said secondpanel.
 11. A connectable pair of panels according to claim 10 whereinsaid connection means is attached to said second panel.
 12. Aconnectable pair of panels according to claim 11 wherein said secondpanel includes a frame, said connection means being attached to saidframe of said second panel.
 13. A connectable pair of panels accordingto claim 12 wherein a first snap portion is disposed on said connectionmeans and a second snap portion is disposed on said frame of said secondpanel whereby said connection means may be passed through said sideopening in said first panel and attached to said second snap portion onsaid frame of said second panel.
 14. A connectable pair of panelsaccording to claim 13 wherein said second panel includes both saidconnection means, here referred to as a first connection means, andfurther includes a second connection means disposed on a second edge ofsaid frame of said second panel, said second connection means forengagement with a third panel.
 15. A connectable pair of panelsaccording to claim 10 wherein said second panel includes a frameconfigured as a perimeter of said second panel, said frame comprising atleast one engageable frame portion; at least one side opening in saidsecond panel, said at least one side opening disposed adjacent said atleast one engageable frame portion of said second panel; and saidconnection means configured to pass through both said side opening insaid second panel and said side opening in said first panel to captureboth said engageable frame portion of said second panel and saidengageable frame portion of said first panel.
 16. A connectable pair ofpanels according to claim 15 wherein said connection means includes afirst snap portion and a second snap portion remote from said first snapportion whereby said connection means may be passed through said sideopening in said first panel and through said side opening in said secondpanel, whereby said first snap portion may be attached to said secondsnap portion.
 17. A panel, herein referred to as a first panel, saidpanel comprising: a frame configured as a perimeter of said first panel,said frame comprising at least three engageable frame portions; saidpanel defining a side opening disposed adjacent each of said at leastthree engageable frame portions; a ridge portion of said frame disposedon a first side of said engageable frame portion and a groove portion ofsaid frame disposed on a second side of said engageable frame portionwhereby a second panel identical to said first panel may be attached tosaid first panel, a groove portion of said frame of said second panelmating with one of said ridge portions of said frame of said first paneland a ridge portion of said frame of said second panel mating with oneof said groove portions of said frame of said first panel; whereby saidsecond panel may be tightly attached to said first panel by a connectionmeans passing through said at least one side opening in said first paneland a like side opening in said second panel.
 18. A panel according toclaim 17 wherein said at least three engageable frame portions of saidframe is four engageable frame portions and said panel is square.
 19. Apanel according to claim 18 further comprising a web portion disposedwithin said frame, said web portion comprising intersecting web elementsdefining web openings therebetween.
 20. A panel according to claim 19wherein said web elements are disposed obliquely relatively to saidframe.